By Sarah Musnicky
Sometimes, when we're at a crossroads, it takes a jarring opportunity and new experience to smack ourselves out of it. In Sarah Pinsker's latest novel, HAUNT SWEET HOME, the lost, 20-year-something Mara is at this very crossroads. It isn't until her cousin throws her a bone, looping her into some PA work on his haunting home makeover show, that she can shed light on her stasis and grow.
Mara is an all-too-relatable character. She is out of place in a family that has all but figured out their lives while she still struggles to make school stick. Her family doesn't necessarily help, with either jokes made at her expense or passive-aggressive actions further pushing her away. No wonder she internalizes a sense of failure and stagnation in her life.
While they're not close, her famous cousin offers her a position as a PA on his show. Through Pinsker's exploration, readers get a behind-the-scenes look at reality TV life's nitty-gritty. As Mara soon learns, the job isn't glamorous, nor is reality actually, well, reality. Things start to settle into place as she finds her footing. That is until strange things begin to happen around her. Forced between a rock and a hard place, Mara must confront uncomfortable truths head-on.
This is more of a journey of self-discovery and introspection than a typical haunting. With Mara at the center and trying to make sense of what's going on as things intensify, you can't help but sympathize. HAUNT SWEET HOME is a breeze in its pacing but gets ahead of itself in the end. Mara's realizations come hastily, with the third-act reveal and the aftermath feeling almost too fast and quickly resolved.
A favorite decision of mine in HAUNT SWEET HOME is Pinsker's script breakdown, marking the transitions between segments. It gives a certain level of immersion to the reality TV show the characters operate in but also shows readers the magic that comes together in front of the camera.
Pinsker's latest is a fast read but may not be for the typical horror fan seeking under-your-skin fare. Light on actual scares, HAUNT SWEET HOME is more sweetness than traditional haunting. But, as the focal character, Mara is precious and relatable, and I'd likely fight off her family if they gave her more crap. Give readers a character to fight for, and it's an easy sell.
Editor's Note: ARC provided by Tor Publishing Group.